Resilient railway spike



March 22, 1960 A. c. JACK RESILI ENT RAILWAY SPIKE Filed Aug. 9, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEY March 22, 1960 A. c. JACK RESILIENT RAILWAY SPIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 9, 1957 INVENTOR ARTHUR C JAcK BY ATTORNEY United States Patent RESELIENT RAILWAY SPIKE Arthur C. Jack, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Bernnth Lembcke Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Application August 9, 1957, Serial No. 677,238

4 Claims. (Cl. 238366) apart at a slightly greater distance than the width of the rail base flange thereby providing a certain restriction to lateral movement of the rail only after it has moved into contact with the said shoulder. Longitudinal movement of the rail usually is prevented by the use of special hooks, clips, or clamps which attach to the rail and engage the tie so that the force of any prospective longitudinal movement is ultimately reacted by the ballast surrounding the ties. It also is common practice to provide each tie plate with two sets of spike holes, one set on each side of the rail base, there being four spike holes in each of the two spaced sets. The two pairs of holes disposed adjacent the opposite lateral edges of the tie plate, are known as the lag holes, and the two pairs of holes adjacent the rail base are known as the gage holes.

It is known that resilient spikes having two legs which are forced resiliently toward each other when the spike is driven have not only a positive grip in the spike hole of the tie, but also exert a positive grip on the tie plate. This is in contra-distinction to the looseness between a solid spike and the hole of a tie plate through which it is driven. In that case, the only firmness in the connection is provided by the pressure of the spike head on the upper surface of the tie plate or, while it remains, the pressure exerted by the head of the spike on the base flange of a rail mounted on the tie plate.

Certain resilient spikes are so constructed that when they are driven through the gage holes of a tie plate, the heads of the spikes normally contact the rail. With some such spikes, the heads are so formed that normal driving of the spike brings its head into direct contact with the upper surface of the rail base flange, the intent being to exert such pressure on the rail as to inhibit longitudinal movement. Such attempts defeat their own purpose, for the spikes are ultimately so loosened by the vertically directed pressure of the rails as to give play between the tie plate and the tie. Although the loosening of the resilient spikes is not so rapid as when a solid spike is similarly driven, it will, nevertheless ultimately occur. In either case, frequent inspection and probable redriving of the spikes is necessary. If the spikes are permitted to work loose, there is a plate cutting and abrasion of the tie on which the plate is mounted.

In my earlier Patents No. 2,524,805 and 2,524,806 both dated October 10, 1950, I disclose two forms of resilient tie plate spikes adapted positively to clinch in the spike hole of the tie plate and to clinch in the spike hole of the tie. Whereas, those spikes are wholly satisfactory when driven through the outer, or lag, holes of a tie plate, the heads of those spikes are so tapered that they are in direct contact with the base flange of the rail when the spike is driven through an inner, or gage, hole of the tie plate. It is usual, therefore, to use those spikes in diagonally opposed lag holes to insure the firm engagement of the tie plate to the tie.

In my co-pending application, Serial No. 443,904, filed on July 16, 1954, now Patent No. 2,818,218, issued December 31, 1957 I disclose a form of resilient tie plate spike which is also adapted to positively clinch in the spike hole or the tie plate and to clinch in the spike hole of the tie. In this form of resilient spike, the head is formed in a manner to non-engagingly overlie a portion of the base flange of the rail when the spike is in driven position. However, directly beneath the head, the leg of the spike adjacent the base flange of the rail is purposely rabbeted away therefrom so that it is out of engagement therewith. This form of resilient spike is designed to securely anchor the tie plate to the tie, and thus may be effectively used in either the lag or the gage holes of.

the tie plate. When it is used in the gage holes, however, it will immediately be seen that this form of resilient spike does not directly inhibit either lateral or longitudinal movement of the rail.

I have discovered that by providing a resilient spike of such form that when it is driven into a gage hole it exerts a lateral pressure against the edge of the base flange of the rail, which lateral pressure is reacted by a similar lateral pressure exerted by another such spike driven into one of the oppositely disposed gage holes, both lateral and longitudinal movement of the rail are effectively inhibited while the said spike also positively clinches in the spike hole of the tie plate and in the spike hole of the tie.

Therefore, one object of my invention is to provide a resilient tie plate spike possessing the advantages of my previously patented spikes, which improved spike can be used effectively in the gage holes of a tie plate, in most instances to avoid the use of spikes of any type in the lag holes of the tie plate. Another object of my invention is to provide a resilient tie plate spike possessing the advantages of my previously patented spikes, which improved spike additionally acts to eifectively inhibit lateral and longitudinal movement of the rail, thereby eliminating most if not all of the hooks, clips, or clamps employed in present standard practices for inhibiting longitudinal movement of the rail.

Referring now to the drawings:

Fig. I is a view showing the tie, tie plate, and rail base flange in cross-section, and the tie plate spike embodying my invention in side elevation, the showing of the several members of the assembly, excepting the spike itself, being fragmentary, and the spike being shown as driven through a gage hole of the tie plate.

Fig. II is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken in the plane of section line IIII of Fig. I.

Fig. III is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken in the plane of section line IIIIII of Fig. I.

Fig. IV is a plan view showing a partial cross-section of a portion of the rail, a portion of the tie, and the tie plate with two of the improved spikes embodying my invention driven into diagonally opposed gage holes with the other gage holes and the lag holes unoccupied.

Fig. V is a staggered cross-sectional view taken in the plane of section line V-V of Fig. IV.

The spike shown in Fig. I is designated generally by reference numeral 1, and is shown in comparative relation with a tie plate 2 having therein four lag holes 3 and four gage holes 4 for the insertion of spikes and two laterally spaced shoulders 5 providing a seat for the rail base flange 6. The tie plate 2 is mounted on a wooden I 2,929,561 a I,

tie 1'. I In the drawings the spike is shown as driven 7 this band is rectangular in cross-section. At the upper and driving end of the spike, the band of metal is looped to provide a relatively broad driving head 8 adapted to receive blows from the cupped head of a manual .or

mechanical spike hammer. Below the head 8, the two legs 9 and 10 approach each other but remain out of contact, with the one leg 9 inclining toward the vertical axis of the spike and the other leg 10 approximately paralleling the said vertical axis of the spike. The space 11 between the said legs 9 and 10 in this region, which is called the flange-gripping region, is such that the outermost lat- V eral dimension of the spike components herein exceeds the lateral dimension of the tie plate gage hole 4 through which the spike is driven, thereby causing this portion ofthe leg 10 to be in firmly compressed contact with the outer extremity of the rail base flange 6 when the spike is in the fully driven position; In the lower extremity of the flange-gripping region, the leg 10 is abrutply offset toward the vertical axis of the spike to accommodate for the differential of the distance between the inner faces of opposed gage holes and the outside dimension of the rail base flange. In the next lower region of the spike, which is called the plate-gripping region, the legs 9 and 10 maintain a spaced relation and approximately parallel the vertical axis of the spike. In the next lower region, which is called the tie-gripping region, the legs are slightly arcuated laterally away from the longitudinal axis of the spike in the portion next adjacent the plate-gripping region, and finally come close to each other and extend in approximately parallel relation to the entering end of the spike; In the said tie-gripping region, the legs 9 and 10 may extend in approximately parallel spaced relation before coming close to each other. However, I have found that the slight arcuation in the portion next adjacent the plate-gripping region actspto more effectivelyclinch the spike in the tie, and in the tie plate.

"It should be noted that the abrupt oflset which I provide .at the lower extremity of the flange-gripping region constitutes a shoulder which comes to bear on the top of thetie plate'at point a, and afiords apositivestop to the driving operation, thereby eliminating the deterimental possibility of driving my spike too far. It is important to realize that when any spike in prior use in the art'was driven to the natural point of stopping, where its head was in direct contact with the upper surface of the rail'base flange, the spike was subject to the vertically directed forces exerted by the wave motion in the rail and was ultimately loosened thereby, to the point where redriving or even replacement was necessary.

It is further important, in this respect, that the flangegn'pping region .of leg 10 continues upward, parallel to the longitudinal axis of the spike, well above the upper surface of the rail base flange beforeit is disposed toward the vertical axis of the rail to form the overlying loop of the spike head, if that be the case. This structural arrangement eliminates the possibility of driving my spike to a point where the head is in direct contact with the upper surface of the rail base flange.

At the point b in the tie-grippingregion and therebelow, the legs 9 and 10 come-into contact with each other as the spike is driven into the spike hole of .thetie.

As the driving action is continued,'the portion of the V spike above point b, where the legs 9 and 10 are disposed.

apart, is compressed'laterally by the spike hole of the tie plate and the tie; This action causes the contact point b be seen that this is: not essential, for the head of my spike is not uilitized to fasten the rail to the tie plate or the tie plate to the tie. However, I have'found that a head formed approximately as shown in the accompanying drawings is the most acceptable and satisfactory, since it facilitates drivingor withdrawing the spike with standard tools and equipment.

In order to determine the gripping qualities which a spike embodying my invention exerts upon the rail, I

have tested my spike by compressing the leg 10 toward the leg 9 in the'fiange-gripping region. 'In a spike formed.

in approximately the proportions shown in the accompanying drawings and from a suitable alloy steel, a pressure of approximately three thousand (3000) pounds was required to compressthis portion of the leg 10 a distance of one-sixteenth 5 of an inch toward leg 9.. It is obvious therefrom that only two of my .spikes, driven him directly or diagonally opposed gage holes of a tie plate,

will exert a substantial gripping pressure against therail base 'flange 6, thereby effectively restraining the rail against both lateral and longitudinal movement.

I propose, therefore, that by utilizing .two' of the resilient spikes embodying my invention driven into directly or diagonally opposed gage holes of a tie plate, the

necessity for other spikes and for rail anchors to restrain.

longitudinal movement will be greatly reduced and, in some instances, completely eliminated. Obviously the resultant economy in both material and time .will be considerable.

It should be understood that, although the resilient spike embodying my invention is used most advantageously in the gage holes of a tie plate, it is also capable of being used effectively in the lag holes. In such latter use, of course, it could not function directly to restrain movement of the rail, but it will elfectively .bind the tie plate to the tie. 7

Having described one embodiment of. my invention, I do not intend to limit that invention to the structure as specifically shown and described; inasmuch as changes in form and arrangement can be made within the bounds of my invention as defined by the appended claims.

Iclaim as my invention:v

l. A resilient railway spike for driving in a spike hole of a tie plate located immediately adjacent the base flange. of a rail .mountedon the tie plate, the said railway spike being formed of a band of resilient metal and having a driving head in the form of a loop and two cooperative legs extended from the loop forming the said driving head, the said two legs converging im-. mediately below the said head and extending therefrom in approximately parallel'spaced relation, one. of said legsbeing nearest the rail and being ofiset away from the longitudinal axis of the spike and positioned just below the head toengage the laterally disposed edge .of the said rail base flange with firmly compressed contact when thespike is in fully driven position,.the said rail base flange contacting leg being offset toward the longitudinal axis;

gripping, region of the spike in approximately parallel spaced relation through. the said spike holeofthe tie plate and in firmly compressed contact with the sides.

thereof when the spike is in fully driven position, the legs. being extendedfrom the plate-gripping region of the spike in spaced relation to a pointof convergence removed from the said plate-gripping region of the spike and then extended in close approximately parallel relation to the entering end of the spike.

2. A resilient railway spike in accordance with the definition of claim 1, in which in that region the spike in which the spike is compressed by driving into the spike hole of the tie each of the spike legs is slightly actuated laterally away from the longitudinal axis of the spike in the extremity of that region next adjacent the plategripping region and extends therefrom in an order of convergence to a point removed from the said plategripping region and then extends in close approximately parallel relation to the entering end of the spike.

3. A resilient railway spike in accordance with the definition of claim 1, in which the loop of the driving head is eccentn'cally ofl set laterally to non-engagingly overlie the adjacent base flange of a rail when the said spike is driven into a gage hole of a tie plate upon which the said rail is mounted.

4. A resilient railway spike for driving in a spike hole of a tie plate located immediately adjacent the base flange of a rail mounted on the tie plate, the said railway spike being formed of a band of resilient metal and having a driving head in the form of a loop ecccentrically offset laterally to non-engagingly overlie the said adjacent base flange of a rail and two cooperative legs extended from the loop forming the said driving head, the said two legs converging immediately below the said head and extending therefrom in approximately parallel spaced parallel spaced relation through the said spike hole of the a tie plate and in firmly compressed contact with the sides thereof when the spike is in fully driven position, the legs being extended from the plate-gripping region of the spike in spaced relation slightly arcuated laterally away from the longitudinal axis of the spike and extended therefrom in an order of convergence to a point removed from the said plate-gripping region and then extended in close approximately parallel relation to the entering end of the spike.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,257,640 Muller Sept. 30, 1941 2,263,734 Kuckuck Nov. 25, 1941 2,524,805 Jack Oct. 10, 1950 2,818,218 Jack Dec. 31, 1957 

